Sleep Walk
by Renee Maria
Summary: I finally have a new chapter up! Time. An infinite measurement of an intangible thing, something that can only be described as what it is... time.
1. Default Chapter

Chapter 1:

Time. An infinite measurement of an intangible thing, something that can only be described as what it is... time.

Long nights, long days. He sat at his typewriter, sometimes typing, sometimes daydreaming of the times they had together, of the times when things were perfect. Time was a new kind of measurement to him. Before it had been a quick onward movement of his life, and now it was simply something he had to last through.

It had been six months since Satine's death. He remained in the same garret, gazing out the same window, hoping to swallow enough Absinthe to see Satine standing on his balcony. Some nights he could actually imagine her in the room with him. Others, he couldn't quite make out her face on the streets below. And sometimes he couldn't find her anywhere, no matter how hard he tried.

He wrote and wrote, wanting to please her, wanting to write 'their story'. He wanted every detail to be perfect.

Finally, he had finished the story. He looked around at the garret, at the papers littering the floor and walls, at the crumpled sheets on the bed and the broken glasses on the floor. He stood and crossed the room to take another swallow of Absinthe when he noticed a sticky spot on the floor. He remembered that night well...

He had been writing all night about a time they had spent in his garret, a perfect time. No one knew anything or had even begun to suspect anything yet. The sunset was beautiful. They lay together in his bed, Satine wrapping her arms around him.

"Darling," he whispered.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I love you," he replied.

"I finally know what that means," as she held him even tighter. He pressed his lips to her forehead and she smiled.

"I love you, Christian, so much."

...The memory had not been easy to recall. He had taken two weeks to write it and had been drinking consistently throughout that time. At one point, he broke and fell onto the floor weeping. His drink had spilled and he had remembered waking up sticky with tears and Absinthe coating his hands and cheeks.

Finishing the story was something that he thought would be releasing. But he knew now that he had been very wrong. He would never be released from the most haunting memories, the ones that stuck to the walls and floor of his garret.

He pressed the bottle to his lips and started to pace the room. He only wanted for her to appear before him. It had been a long time since he was able to create her image in his room. Every step he took through the garret brought up a new memory.

He drank until he could no longer stand. He collapsed to the corner and stared blankly up at the papers waving in the light wind that wafted through the open balcony doors. Suddenly, there was a series of loud, swift knocks on the door. Christian whipped his head in the direction of the sound. He hadn't had company since the night Satine had died in his arms.

He slowly pulled himself off the floor as the knocks came again.

"Moment..." he slurred, stumbling towards the door, empty bottle in his hand.

"Chwistian!" came a voice from the other side of the door.

Toulouse? He figured he must be imagining it.

"Chwistian!" louder this time.

Christian made it to the door and slowly opened it, but Toulouse pushed it open quickly with his foot and grabbed Christian's shirt.

"There's something happening," he panted. "There's something happening!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Christian furrowed his eyebrows.

"What are you saying, Toulouse?" he slurred.

"Come quick!" Toulouse grabbed Christian's arm and pulled him out of the room.

"I don't understand..." as he dropped the bottle to the floor and staggered out the door, Toulouse leading the way.

When they reached the street, there was a commotion in front of the Moulin doors.

"What's going on..." Christian began as Toulouse quickly ducked behind a building and peeked out.

"They mustn't see us, Chwistian," Toulouse whispered.

A group of girls stood in front of the opened door. A man stood in the doorway, blocking the entrance, but Christian and Toulouse could not make out his face.

"Let us through these doors!" shouted one of the girls.

"You can't do this!" another girl chimed in.

"Ladies, please," the man begged. "Please back away!"

They would not move away from the door even an inch. The crowd got even larger as spectators moved in closer to see what was happening.

"What is it, Toulouse?" Christian asked softly.

"The Moulin Rouge, it's been shut down..." but Christian interrupted him.

"I know that, Toulouse. I haven't seen anyone around in months. But why now? What has happened?" He stared at the crowd, wanting to get closer.

"Come, Chwistian. There's more..." Toulouse motioned for Christian to follow him behind the building. Christian reluctantly tore his eyes away from the crowded street to follow Toulouse.

"Toulouse," Christian panted.

"Here!" Toulouse pointed forward and Christian squinted to see it.

Straight ahead, about 100 yards, there was a small window near the ground. The window was dusty and looked as if it had been long ago forgotten. Christian suddenly realized that they had come up to the back stage of the Moulin Rouge where all the girls' dressing rooms were. Toulouse approached the window cautiously and Christian followed close behind.

A man and woman stood in the hallway inside talking about something. Their words could barely be made out, but Toulouse began to explain to Christian...

"It's Marie and one of the men who cwosed this pwace. Marie has returned, I bewieve, for her things... but something seems fishy, Chwistian. I don't know what's going on, but Harowd has returned. He came up in a carriage this morning." Christian's eyes widened.

"Harold? I thought they sent him away," he whispered.

"He was on a 'vacation' but he's back."

"Does he not know? Didn't anyone tell him? It seems a convenient time for a vacation if he was not aware of the..." He was cut off by a loud banging. The two jumped out of the view of the window and turned to see what was happening.

They crouched and slowly edged along the building until they could see around to the front. Harold stood at the door banging. The crowd had moved back.

"Open this door!" he thundered. "Open it or I will open it for you!"

"Let's go," Toulouse said, eyes wide.

"No!" Christian insisted. "I have to find out what's going on. You go, I'll make it back, don't worry about me."

Toulouse stared at Christian, not wanting to leave his friend, but afraid to stick around and be caught snooping. He finally nodded and left the same way they had come. Christian crouched lower and turned back down the side of the building, passing the window, until he reached a familiar hidden entrance, the same one he had used to come back stage during Spectacular Spectacular. He just needed to find Marie. He was sure she would talk to him if he could find her alone.

He dropped down and heard voices from the hallway, both male voices.

"He has been ordered to stay away from here. If he doesn't go, we'll have to force him away," said the deeper voice.

"Hasn't anyone told him?"

"Of course," the deeper voice replied, but there was an uncertainty in his tone.

"Christian!" came a whisper from behind Christian.

He jumped and held his breath until he saw where the voice had come from.

"Marie!" he smiled.

"You can't be here!" She grabbed him and ducked down another hallway.

"What's going on, Marie? Why are all these people here?" he asked slowly. Marie led him down the hall to a quiet place where they were alone.

"Look, Christian, I have come to get my things. I'm sure you know that the Moulin is closed. Harold could no longer pay for the expenses he incurred from the theatre after the Duke removed his investment. The night Satine died was the night the Moulin died." She looked at her feet sadly. "I have just come to get my things."

"I'm sorry, Marie. I knew something of what happened. But I guess I just had this feeling, like something wasn't right, when I saw you and that man in the hallway..."

"You saw us? Where were you spying?" she accused, surprised that he had seen what he had.

"I'm sorry, Marie, I..." but she cut him off.

"Well now you know. I came for what I had left, which isn't much, and now I have what I came for. Is that all that you wanted to know?" A tear formed in her eye and Christian immediately felt horrible; a pain pierced his stomach and he swallowed the frog in his throat.

"Oh, Marie. I didn't mean to... I mean I don't really know... what I'm doing here. I hadn't even come outside since... since..." he breathed in quickly.

"I know, dear." She paused for a moment, watching the boy as he feebly tried to regain his composure. As she watched him, she took in his sunken eyes and ragged appearance for the first time. Sure she had noticed the 6 month old beard and untrimmed hair, but his clothes hung looser and his skin was paler than ever before. "Dear, did you... ever see her grave?" she asked carefully after a few moments.

"No, Marie. How could I?" His eyes stayed firmly planted to the ground.

"Shall I take you there?"

"I don't know, Marie..." but he had already made up his mind. He would go, if only for her. He hadn't gone to the funeral and he at least owed it to her to visit her grave, even if only just this once.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

And so they went.

Past the elephant, through the courtyard, to a small garden set off to the side, away from what used to be the lights and excitement of the theatre. A small pile of earth, hidden among the flowers and vines, rested with a diamond crown on top. Christian couldn't take his eyes away from the jewels. He remembered it so well. So well.

"Marie...." he started, but he could not find the words to continue. His eyes filled up and spilled over as he dropped to the ground on his knees. He let out a sound that nearly caused Marie to fall to her knees as well. His body fell forward and he grasped at the earth around her small grave.

"Satine!" he cried into the earth. "Satine..." He suddenly realized his composure and swallowed his tears. He slowly backed away from the grave and stood. "I should go, Marie," he said slowly, without ever turning his eyes away from the grave.

"Yes," she agreed softly. "It was good to see you."

He turned and took a step away but was stopped by Marie's small hand on his shoulder as she whispered into his ear: "Wait, Christian. Wait in your room until sunset."

And before he could even consider her words, she was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

That night in his garret, he paced back and forth, unable to sit still. What had Marie meant by what she had whispered? He couldn't help but feel like something was going to happen that was going to change his life. He kept glancing out the window, waiting for the sun to set.

Finally, the sky turned orange and pink and he stopped pacing. He sat on the edge of his bed watching the doorknob. He was just beginning to think that nothing was even going to happen when he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. They got closer and closer and he stood to open the door, but Marie burst through the door before he could reach it. She carried two large bags.

"Marie," Christian started as she passed him to set the bags down in the middle of the room. "What's going on?" But she didn't answer. She went back into the hallway for two more bags. "Tell me what's going on!" he demanded as he turned to watch her set the bags down. Behind him, Chocolat entered the room quietly. Christian felt someone's presence and turned around.

"Satine!!" He moved so quickly that he nearly tripped.

"Shhh..." Chocolat held her in his arms, asleep.

"She... but... Marie..." He couldn't believe his eyes. Was it really her? Chocolat handed her to Christian gently.

"Take her, Sir," he whispered. Christian's arms flew around her. Marie smiled as Chocolat stepped out of the room.

"Christian, she knows what to do. She has everything she needs," Marie said quietly as she left the room and shut the door slowly.

Christian's eyes had not left her face. He didn't understand how any of this was possible. Just that afternoon he had been crying at her grave, and yet she was here with him. He felt her moving in his arms. Tears that he didn't even know he had been crying had fallen onto her cheeks. Her eyelids fluttered and slowly opened. He sat back on the bed and watched as she realized where she was.

"Christian!" she rasped. His eyes stared deep into hers, as if seeing them for the first time.

"Yes, d-darling." He couldn't get his breath. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, bringing their bodies closer together.

"Oh, how I've missed you," she cried. "I don't ever want to leave you again."

"Satine, what happened? How are you here?" He still could not believe that it was real, that she wouldn't just vanish from his embrace when he woke.

"I'm not sick, Christian. I never really was. The doctor was able to help me when Marie first noticed that I was getting weak. It wasn't anything serious, but it gave us the idea."

"What idea?" he asked softly, still not breaking her gaze.

"To pretend. Now the Duke is gone and we can be together. But no one can know..."

"Th-this was... was all a trick?" His mind ran through all the events that had led up to her death and he began to put it together.

"Yes, and I'm so sorry, Christian. I never wanted to hurt you, but I had no other choice. I couldn't go with the Duke, and I couldn't see you injured or possibly killed. Marie helped me keep it a secret from everyone. And the doctor, the doctor was the one who told Harold." She smiled.

"I can't believe it, Satine! You're really here! You're really here!" as he leaned down to kiss her for the first time. Their lips met and immediately they melted onto the bed. His heart raced and she could feel the pounding against her chest. Her body tingled as the kiss continued and she felt butterflies in her stomach, as if it were the first kiss she had ever experienced.

When they finally broke apart, he held her so tightly on top of him that she could almost close her eyes and imagine she was wearing her corset.

For a long time, they were quiet. They looked into each others eyes as the sun set and the room grew dark. Finally, Christian broke the silence.

"Marie said you would know what to do. What does she mean?"

"We have to leave, Christian. I have train tickets. We have been saving for them. Marie got them this afternoon." She smiled and brushed a stray hair out of his face.

"Where are we going?" he asked as he watched her hand travel down his chest to rest over his heart.

"To the country." She paused, watching his chest rise and fall as he breathed.

"What time?"

"Midnight." She lowered her head to his chest and closed her eyes.

"It's getting late. We should get ready." He thought of getting ready to leave with Satine, to leave so that they could be together forever, and it hit him. "Oh, God. It is real. I can't believe it, I just can't believe it!"

She opened her eyes and brought her face close to his. A tear trickled down her face and he caught it with his fingertip.

Eventually Christian knew that they had to get up and get everything ready. He packed very few things, his typewriter, a few clothes, the small amount of money he had left. Satine began gathering the papers from the floor and walls.

"Christian, is this our story?" she asked as she flipped through the pages.

"Could be..." he teased. She smiled and tried to stack the papers neatly so they would not wrinkle.

"Well, you'll have to rewrite the ending." She handed him the stack and he tucked it under his arm. He picked up his bag and two of hers, but as he went for another bag he dropped his. Satine stood in the middle of the room watching with amusement as he tried to pick up his bag, dropping one of hers and the story at the same time. He looked up at her and shook his head.

"Maybe I should carry something?"

"Maybe..." he strained, trying to lift the heaviest bag. "But... I think... I have it."

She laughed and Christian stopped was he was doing to watch her. There she was, standing in the middle of his room in the most gorgeous blue dress, wearing only her stockings on her feet. He dropped everything he was carrying and walked over to her, taking her in his arms and lifting her into the air.

"I will love you, until my dying day," he sang as he swung her around and pulled her close.

"Come what may," she whispered as he leaned in to kiss her.

"Let's go," he panted as they broke the kiss reluctantly. They picked up the bags together and headed for the door.

"Goodbye," Christian said into the room, and they shut the door.

Down on the street sat Harold, watching the front door of the Moulin like a hawk. Something was up, and he was going to find out if it meant breaking down this door himself. Marie watched him from upstairs. Satine had made it, no one had caught her, and now she was going to be safe. But there was a feeling inside of Marie that she could not ignore. What would become of this mess of lies? Because after all, a lie only leads to another lie, and once you have begun, there can be no escaping it.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

The night was dark, darker than any Marie had seen in years. No stars were visible all across the sky; dark clouds replaced them, stretching across from east to west, north to south. Marie sat silently in the carriage as it jostled her and her luggage down the stone paved road. She sighed, knowing that she still had a long journey ahead of her. Her sister lived far out into the country, miles and miles from anything, a perfect place for someone who wanted to hide away. Marie thought of Christian and Satine. She may never know if they had made it to their destination.

Suddenly, the carriage came to a halt. Marie fell forward in her seat and grabbed onto her bag before it flew out of the carriage. After the commotion had ceased, she sat clutching her things, waiting for some explanation of what had just happened. She could faintly hear voices in front of the carriage over the sound of the now howling wind. She could no longer take the suspense of not knowing what had happened and so she slowly climbed down out of the carriage to see the Duke, drunkenly staggering out of his carriage which it appeared had swerved in front of Marie's.

"Damn you! You almost killed us all!" shouted Marie's driver. Marie quickly ducked back into the carriage, not wanting to be seen by the Duke in fear that he might question her. She had been feeling like something wasn't right and she was worried that the Duke had somehow found out something that he shouldn't have.

"Maybe you should slow down your horses, Sir," the Duke slurred.

"You're drunk! You shouldn't be on the road this time of the night in this condition. I have half a mind to send someone out here when I reach the next town. If you know what's good for you, you'll stop up ahead for the night." Marie's driver shouted in the Duke's face and turned to climb back up to his seat. But the Duke would not hear of it.

"I'm going to Paris and I'm going there tonight!" the Duke roared. Marie sank into her seat a little further, pulling her coat up around her neck.

"Do what you like, but don't expect the police to be as forgiving…" the driver said as he pulled on the reins and started forward again.

"Don't threaten me, sir. I am a powerful man and I can have you hanged for making a threat like that!" The Duke stumbled back into his carriage, shouting on into the night as the carriage continued by and the wind consumed his voice.

Something was not right, thought Marie. Something just was not right…


End file.
